1988 Episode Discussion

[Red Ranger 1]

Does anyone know if Catherine McColl-Jones (Sandra) is still acting?

Her most recent credit on IMDb(which is far from comprehensive when it comes to Australian shows)was in 2003, so at least HA didn't kill her career stone dead.

[codyw1]

Very powerful few eps the last couple of days.I could still remember a lot of it, too, surprising given that it's over 20 years since I saw it! I was taken by surprise by the ending to yesterdays, though. I could remember that it was getting a phone call that made Sandra break down, but not the details. I thought it must have been someone who didn't know what had happened calling for her mum or something. Forgot it was the Nutter! That was quite shocking in a way.

[codyw1]

Someone should probably tell Tom that it is perhaps unwise to call the psychotic with a gun "a gutless wonder".

FUNNY, yes. Wise? Probably not.

[alexx]

For a while I was thinking the nutter could be Kerry, as I have very little memory of this storyline even though Im sure I watched it when they repeated 12 years ago! The past few episodes have been very powerful and gritty, yet emotional and poignant - this is why H&A, to me, was better than Neighbours - at this stage the show was really taking on its own distinct premise.

[codyw1]

I missed most of 88 12 years ago, I don't think I even realised it was on! I saw some of the tail end, but then didn't start taping it till 89. I rewatched 89 early last year, I wouldn't have if I'd known they were going to start from the beginning again six months later!

[Jeremai]

I wasn't expecting the bullet to have hit anyone at all, so I was shocked when the episode started at the graveside and double shocked that it was Kerry who died. Her storyline was tragic from start to finish. I found the selection of characters at the graveside a bit strange. Yes, most of them were there at the end, but didn't Kerry have any other family and friends? Perhaps not... maybe that's why she was so tied to Sam?

After all the tamer storylines (and the surreal ones like Nico) the show has really taken off now and I'm starting to see why it was seen as more hard-hitting than Neighbours and why some kids were banned from watching it! Of course it doesn't compare to TV these days, but 22 years ago I guess it was all a lot more shocking.

[Old H&A Fan]

This storyline (the Barlow storyline) is one of those storylines (

like the Dodge one which will be coming up at the end of this year

, I'll get to that when the time comes) where I would have loved to have more details about the storyline, such as:

• When did Sam Barlow become the arrogant bash-artist that he is (Alsa's story to "Pippa" shed few details about this, such as he owned a business then took risks and gambling, became bankrupt, and ended up as team leader on the road gang)?
  
• Why did Sam go bad?
  
• Was Sam mentally ill and what was this illness?
  
• Did that family have any friends? (hence the very small turnout at the funeral as Jeremai pointed out)
  
• Was Sandra an only child?
  
• Why did Sgt Barnett carry a live firearm into the violent situation? Was there an inquiry into this?
  

Also, as to the writing, inclusion and the manner in which that storyline was played out:

• How did the scriptwriter/s put together the events, and what were the portrayed events based on?
  
• Did the scriptwriters have an agenda, like were they running or partaking in some awareness campaign against domestic violence?
  
• Why did they leave out everything from immediately after the gun blast at the end of Episode 65 to the burial at the very beginning of 66 after the recap?
  
• Why did they totally forget about Sandra after she was taken from Summer Bay, she was never seen (or even heard of, ever again)?
  

Was Stevo "just friends" and how "just friends" if they kissed and the exclusivity of the relationship, but that is a bit of a different matter — the "love" thing is an elusive problem that pops up from time to time to time throughout Home And Away's life.....

[Dan F]

They did mention Sandra in Episode 2855 (after Sally & Kieran's wedding in 2000). Pippa said that the last she heard, Sandra had to change her name so her father wouldn't find her when he came out of prison - Steven also mentioned he had tried to find her after going to Uni, to see if she was OK, but was unable to. He still maintained they had only been friends though.

[Skylover]

They did mention Sandra in Episode 2855 (after Sally & Kieran's wedding in 2000). Pippa said that the last she heard, Sandra had to change her name so her father wouldn't find her when he came out of prison - Steven also mentioned he had tried to find her after going to Uni, to see if she was OK, but was unable to. He still maintained they had only been friends though.

Thanks for the info Dan F. It's interesting that they would mention her after over ten years of not mentioning her. I wonder if she ever got married and had children. Perhaps a return is in order? ;)

[Ryan]

Episode 2855 was an episode with a 10 minute scene where a lot of the original cast sat down and talked about things that happened over their times in the show. It's an episode where very little happens in terms of action, but it does tidy a few things up and lets us know where some of the old characters are now. Alison Patterson is mentioned as well, I think, for the first time confirming that she is related to Vinnie (debuts on the Early Years September 2017). It's one of my favourite episodes.

That's the end of the shows first large guest cast story arc and it does seem strange that in the following 4950 episodes, we never really see them again.